Several hundred people took part in a demonstration on Wednesday against the closure of the Knorr factory in Duppigheim (Bas-Rhin), denouncing the
“disloyalty”
of the parent company, the Unilever group, and the
“relocation”
of activities.
Read also: Unilever closes its Knorr factory in Alsace
Behind a banner
"Knorr must remain in Alsace"
, the demonstrators (more than 300 according to the unions, 230 according to the prefecture), took part in a march between the factory and the town hall of this village of 1,600 inhabitants, located on the edge of the metropolis of Strasbourg.
"Unilever shame on you, always more profit for the shareholders, and a broom for the employees"
or
"Unilever kills the job"
, could we read in particular on the T-shirts and the placards of the demonstrators, some of which symbolically fired A coffin.
The group announced at the end of March the upcoming closure of this factory which employs 261 people, highlighting an underutilization of production capacities and an
"urgent need to recreate margins"
. A redeployment plan for 70 employees was also announced.
"We have come to ask that Unilever backtrack,"
Martial Schwartz, Force Ouvrière union representative, who considers the plant
"viable"
told AFP
.
"We have been reduced to our business volumes, the activity has been sent elsewhere, so it is normal for the cost per tonne to increase,"
he said, noting the transfer of activity to the Poland, Romania, Italy or Germany.
"We learned from the CSE expert that the group had started looking for a buyer almost two years ago,"
regretted Olivier Dietrich, CFTC delegate.
“They could have told us about it, that we are looking for solutions (...).
It is not fair, it is a betrayal ”.
Several elected officials, including the mayor of the town, Julien Haegy, were present to express their
"solidarity"
.
"The activity could continue on the site, Unilever has the means"
, he declared, fearing
"of the consequences in cascade on the other companies, on the businesses"
of the surrounding communes.
"Support plan"
For its part, the management of Unilever indicates that its priority is
"the establishment of a support plan for employees"
. It specifies that the productions intended for the French market will be outsourced to France, while the others will go
“to Western Europe”
. Opened on April 8, the information-consultation period for the job protection plan (PSE) must continue until August 8.